Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of Stressful Life Events On The Development Of Type 2 Diabetes, Joshua Minks

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between distress and the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the presence of established risk factors. Distress secondary to mental health disparities, stressful life events, and work conditions has been shown to promote insulin resistance and the development of T2DM.

Subjects (N=79) diagnosed with T2DM within the previous six months were recruited from SSM Health Centers and VA Medical Centers in the greater St. Louis area. They completed the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire, ENRICHD Social Support Instrument, and a demographic survey and analyses were conducted to determine differences between the veteran …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Cutaneous Stimulation And Distraction On Children's Perceptions Of Injection Pain, Laurie G. Sparks

Dissertations

Research has shown that children fear injections and perceive them as painful. Virtually all children experience injections through immunizations, and, therefore, methods to decrease injection pain could have widespread results. This study examined the effects of two nursing interventions on injection pain in preschool children: distraction and cutaneous stimulation. A quasi-experimental design was employed to test the interventions. The study was guided by Roy's adaptation theory of nursing and the gate-control theory of pain.

Predictors Of Quality Of Life In The Chronic Hemodialysis Patient, Pamela B. Simmons

Dissertations

This was a descriptive, correlational, predictive study designed to investigate the relationships between treatment-related stress, satisfaction with nursing care, and depression in the chronic hemodialysis patient and to determine which were predictive of quality of life (QoL). Demographic variables and selected clinical indicators were also assessed for their ability to predict QoL.

African-American, Hispanic, And Caucasian Parents' Perception And Management Of Chronically Ill Children In The Home, Patricia D. Joffe

Dissertations

Advances in technology and knowledge have contributed to a growing population of children with chronic illness. Nurses caring for chronically ill children and their families in the home environment have witnessed a rapid increase in the occurrence and complexity of care that children receive at home. A challenge for pediatric nurses is to develop, teach, and deliver health care that is sensitive to a multicultural population. There is a lack of research regarding the experience of caring for a chronically ill child from a cultural perspective. The purpose of this study was to examine how African-American, Hispanic, and Caucasian families …

Carving A Niche For Australian Practice Nurses In Chronic Heart Failure Management, Elizabeth Jane Halcomb

Dissertations

Chronic and complex conditions are a significant concern within contemporary health care systems. The ageing population and improvements in survival from acute cardiac illness have seen an increasing incidence of heart failure (HF). Heart failure represents a significant burden on both the individual and the wider community. Despite effective pharmacotherapy and established evidence-based management guidelines, the overall prognosis from HR is poor. The complexity of the disease process and the highly developed evidence-base makes HR an excellent exemplar for the management of a range of chronic conditions. Studies undertaken as part of the 'Carving a niche for Australian practice nurses' …

Differentiating Successful And Unsuccessful Nursing Students, Trilla A. Mays

Dissertations

Administrators of nursing programs in community colleges are aware of the need to retain and to graduate students to meet the growing demand for licensed practical nurses (LPNs). High attrition in a 2-year nursing program in South Carolina affected the number of students either graduating as a LPN after completing the third semester, or continuing in the program to become a registered nurse (RN). Guided by Jeffreys's nursing undergraduate retention and success model, this causal comparative study investigated the differences between students who were and were not successful in the initial 3 semesters of the program. Archival student records for …

Professional Values Of Licensed Practical Nurses And Time Post Initial Licensure: A Correlational Study, Linda A. Otero

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the correlation between professional values of licensed practical nurses working in long term care settings and time post initial licensure. A quantitative non-experimental correlational research design was used to capture self-reports of professional values of licensed practical nurses then determine if and to what extent a relationship exists between professional values and time post initial licensure. The Nurses Professional Values Scale- Revised (NPVS-R) instrument was used to capture the professional values of 101 LPNs employed in long term care settings in Vermont and correlate the results with time post initial licensure. The …

Relationships And Patterns Between Expert And Nonexpert Critical Care Nursing Practice And Patient Outcomes, Sandra Kathleen Hanneman

Dissertations

It is well accepted that expert nurses improve patient outcomes when delivering direct patient care. It has been hypothesized that expert nurses also improve patient outcomes by developing the knowledge and skills of nonexpert nurses. A previous study demonstrated improved patient outcomes, defined as reduced incidence of preventable pulmonary complications, in a medical critical care unit patient population after the unit staff nurses were exposed to a unit-based expert nurse for six months. Field notes of the participant observations of the expert nurse and informal interviews with unit staff were collected. Using the grounded theory field approach, the field notes …

The Tenderness Process In Mother-Infant Couples: The Relationship Of Maternal Perception And Anxiety To Infant Satiety And Anxiety, Deidre Marion Blank

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify what impact, if any, maternal perception and anxiety had on an infant at the time of feeding. The framework for testing the relationship was Harry Stack Sullivan's interpersonal theory of psychiatry, as it related specifically to mother-infant tenderness. For the study, tenderness was restricted to a reciprocal process in which the infant had a physiochemical need for milk and the mother a complimentary need to satisfy the infant. Of importance to Sullivan was the fact that an infant had to depend on the intervention of others for survival and therefore manifested a …

Intergenerational Health Promotion In African-Americans, Donna Behler Mcarthur

Dissertations

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people over the age of 25 and is largely preventable through behavioral changes. Diet and physical activity patterns, which may be amenable to change through age- and generation-appropriate interventions, have not been extensively tested in school-based programs. The purposes of this study were to: (1) Assess the impact of a school-based intervention in promoting healthy cardiovascular behaviors in elementary school children; and, (2) Evaluate the efficacy of elementary school children as conduits of health promotion information for older generations. Three inner city public elementary schools located within a one mile radius …

Composure Behaviours Of Advanced Beginner Nurses And Their Effects On The Wellness Outcome Among Selected Orthopaedic Patients: Basis For Action Plans, Bea-Gracia M. Cruz

Dissertations

The study determined the effects of the COMPOSURE behaviours of advanced beginner nurses on the wellness outcome among selected orthopaedic patients and used quasi-experimental 2-group pretest posttest design.

Effectiveness And Cost Efficiency Of Interventions In Health Promotion, Rosanne H. Pruitt

Dissertations

There is a general lack of evidence of the efficacy and cost efficiency of interventions in the area of health promotion. The lack of evidence is frequently cited as a reason programs are not adopted. Resources are limited, and it is important that evidence be generated through research to allow for informed choices to be made. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a stress management program and determine overall effectiveness and cost efficiency. Two research hypotheses addressed effectiveness.

Exploring Licensed Practical Nursing Graduates' Perceptions Of Activities Based On Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory, Keondra Rustan

Dissertations

Experiential learning strategies have proven to beneficial in educating Registered Nurses (RNs) at the baccalaureate degree level. However, there is a great limitation on the amount of research available regarding the use of these techniques with licensed practical nursing (LPN) students. There is a need to examine these educational techniques on LPN students as they make up a large percentage of the health care workforce and care for a vulnerable part of the United States population. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of LPN graduates with experiential learning strategies, and determine if experiential learning …

Exploring The Leadership Experiences Of Male Military Spouses: An Exploratory Qualitative Inquiry, Christina L. Parsons

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the leadership experiences of male military spouses who serve as primary caregivers in the home. The primary objective of this research was to illuminate the voices of male military spouses from the various branches of military service to share their lived experiences and with specific regard to their leadership qualities. The goal of this research is to allow male military spouses to use their own words to describe their leadership experiences and to understand the context of that leadership inside the military culture. Pleck’s Gender Role Strain was used as the …

Personality Characteristics And Job Satisfaction Of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists In North Carolina, Paul Barton Moore

Dissertations

Organizational leadership, at any level, strives to increase performance and efficiency, among other outcomes. One way to accomplish this is by increasing follower job satisfaction. Literature indicates that there are intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence job satisfaction. These factors, however, have not been explicitly studied for the profession of nutrition and dietetics for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of personality characteristics and job satisfaction of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists in North Carolina. Personality characteristics were defined by the Big 5 Inventory personality test, while job satisfaction and its components were …

Promotion And Retention Of English Learners (Ells) In An Large Urban School District: A Policy Advocacy Document, Hanan Matari, Ruqia Ali

Dissertations

This policy advocacy document argues for a fair and equitable retention and promotion policy for English language learners (ELLs) in elementary grades of a large urban school district. Increasing access and instructional opportunities within bilingual/ESL services combined with more accurate measures of English proficiency would help mitigate random or unfair promotion and retention practices. A needs analysis was conducted on educational, economic, social, political, and moral-ethical dimensions and arguments made in support of the recommended policy (Browder, 1995). This policy solidifies district accountability for the education of all ELL students by mandating schools provide equal opportunity and access to high-quality …

Laying The Foundation To Improve Literacy In A K-12 Islamic School Through The Introduction Of A Professional Learning Community: A Formative Evaluation, Hanan Matari, Ruqia Ali

Dissertations

To improve professional development, a professional learning community (PLC) was initiated at a small, K–12 Islamic school in northwest suburban Chicago, IL. This evaluation describes and assesses the initiation and year-one implementation of the PLC, and focuses on teachers’ literacy instruction skills. A formative evaluation approach was used to monitor and assess progress and encourage teachers’ ownership of their learning. Teachers collaborated in large and smaller grade or subject area PLC groups to identify, chart, and implement new teaching strategies under peer observation for feedback. Teachers succeeded in establishing school-wide literacy strategies; however, issues challenged the PLC’s future—time, resources, and …

Retrieving And Reimagining Sanctuary And Solidarity: Racial Disparities In Infant Mortality, Alyson Capp

Dissertations

In Milwaukee, Black babies die before their first birthday nearly three times as often as White and Hispanic babies. Prematurity is the major cause of infant mortality, and social determinants of health play a large role. Commitments from within Christian bioethical traditions can critique ethical frameworks commonly in use in US bioethics by calling for the incorporation of analysis of social power dynamics that is necessary for addressing this issue. Original ethnographic fieldwork that listens closely to Black mothers and health professionals uncovers key themes related to women's and infant health at the intersection of race, class, and gender. By …

Regulation Of Acetyl Phosphate-Dependent Acetylation And Identification Of Novel Lysine Acetyltransferases In Escherichia Coli, David George Christensen

Dissertations

Over billions of years, organisms have organized chemical reactions into metabolic pathways to sustain life. However, metabolic substrates can undergo many uncatalyzed, extra-metabolic reactions. Acetyl phosphate (AcP), an intermediate of the acetate fermentation pathway in E. coli, is one such metabolite that has been shown to non-enzymatically acetylate hundreds of proteins. This diverse set of targets suggests that acetylation could be a way for the cell to sense its nutritional status and regulate protein activity accordingly. However, how E. coli regulates acetylation, if at all, is unknown.Previous work showed that acetylation becomes pronounced in stationary phase cells. I determined that …

The Effectiveness Of An Ambulatory Care Health System Redesign On Patient Engagement, Healthcare Utilization, And Clinical Indicators, Nancy Johansen Madsen

Dissertations

Diabetes is a lifelong debilitating and deadly chronic disease affecting nearly one out of every eleven Americans. This public health problem costs $245 billion annually in the United States. Long term research trials have shown that diabetes complications can be prevented with good glycemic control, but it is difficult for patients to maintain control without much support from their healthcare team. U.S. healthcare remains fragmented. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, there are opportunities to redesign health care delivery to minimize fragmentation and improve patient outcomes. The aim of this study is to determine if a redesigned care …

Predicting Decision-Making In Relation To Health-Risk Behavior In College Freshmen, Anne Bijumon Luckose

Dissertations

Method/Measurements: A cross-sectional correlational design explored the relationships between decision-making, health-risk behaviors and social support systems in college freshmen. The aims of the study were: 1) to explore the relationship between decision-making and health-risk behaviors among college freshmen; 2) to determine whether or not family support and social support jointly predict decision-making among college freshmen; and 3) to ascertain whether or not the effect of family support on decision-making is different for male and female college freshmen. Measurement was collected at one time-point and participants in this study completed on-line questionnaires through a web-based online survey software application with measures …

Addressing The School-To-Prison Pipeline Through Critical Self Reflection: A Self-Study Of Courageous And Transformative Leadership, Ernest D. Williams

Dissertations

Research reveals that zero-tolerance policies lead to school suspensions of a disproportionate number of African American students in urban areas (Center for Civil [CCRR], 2015). Suspensions increase student failure rates and dropout likelihood and reduce the ability to graduate on time (Skiba, Arrendondo, & Williams, 2014). Studies have also shown that African American students are suspended three times more than their White American peers and two times more than their Latino American peers (CCRR, 2015). This has impelled federal and local government agencies, community organizations, and educators to question the effectiveness of punitive discipline policies that have marginalized black and …

Yczr, A New Case Of Plp-Dependent Mocr/Gabr Type Transcription Regulator In Klebsiella Pneumonia, Yuanzhang Zheng

Dissertations

Increasing number of genes encoding PLP-dependent transcription regulators, MocR/GabR type regulators, have been identified in various bacterial genomes. However, only a handful of them, including MocR, PdxR and GabR have been studied experimentally. They control different aspects of the bacterial metabolism. Only GabR has reported crystallographic structures. MocR/GabR regulators possess a chimeric structure consisted of a WHTH DNA binding domain and an Aminotransferase-like regulation domain, which can bind PLP as an effector in transcription regulation. Such a chimeric construct presents an interesting case in molecular evolution. The regulation domains of All MocR/GabR type regulators loss their catalytic capacity during evolution …

School Principal's Leadership Style And Teacher's Self-Efficacy In High And Low Achieving Schools In Chikankata, Zambia, Pardon Mwansa

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose

Much research has been done in past years on the topic of student achievement, with most of those studies focusing on factors that contribute to student achievement. Little, or no research has been done, especially in the country of Zambia, that has focused on the relationship between leadership style, teacher self-efficacy, and the extent to which these constructs impact student achievement. This study explored the school principals' leadership style, teacher self-efficacy, and the extent to which these factors contribute to student achievement in Chikankata District, Zambia. The Ministry of Education in Zambia and other educators, especially those …

Adolescent Female Substance Abuse: Risk And Resiliency Factors, Mary Bemker

Dissertations

Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) abuse is a major social and health concern for adolescent females. For the first time, female use patterns are converging with male patterns among U.S. adolescents. Despite evidence that gender differences could be associated with ATOD origin and precipitating factors, little attention has been directed to female adolescents and ATOD use. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to explore the experiences of adolescent females in relation to ATOD risk and resiliency factors present in their lives. This investigation used the Neuman systems model as its theoretical framework. Grounded theory methodology was employed to …

Developing Social And Emotional Skills In Early Childhood Instruction: A Delphi Study, Tess Breen

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to explore social and emotional learning in early childhood instruction with an emphasis on identifying the methods expert early childhood teachers use to support and promote the development of empathy and emotion regulation, to have the teachers rate the impact of these methods, and to identify the specific activities used to implement the six most highly rated methods.

Methodology: This study utilized the Delphi method which is an iterative process used to collect and distill the judgments of experts using a series of questionnaires interspersed with feedback. Fourteen participants recommended strategies to …

Diffusion, Adoption, And Network Constraint: Can Understanding Personal Networks Of Afghan Women Improve The Adoption 0f Agricultural Innovations, Clair Wilcox

Dissertations

A plethora of case studies conducted in myriad locations find that factors influencing the adoption of agricultural innovation are different, emphasizing the need for locality specific understanding (Waddingon 2014). The diffusion of agricultural innovations may be influenced by the structure of the social system in which that diffusion is taking place. This study investigates the social structure of rural Afghan women, in an effort to determine how they interact and exchange information, and how the personal network structure, and the nature of the women’s interaction influences adoption of innovations. With the objective of framing rural development programs targeting women in …

Exploring Referee Abuse Through The Lens Of The Collegiate Rugby Coach, Brittany Lauren Jacobs

Dissertations

Referees are a valuable contributor to the legitimacy of a sporting contest. Despite this, abuse in sport has become a growing concern and is regularly noted as an obstacle with which referees must contend. Continued abuses have been associated with referee discontinuation and have been noted as a key factor influencing the recruitment and retention of referees. Sporting organizations, coaches, and players all feel the impact when there is an inadequate supply of referees. Though the continuance of the referee is related to the continuance of the sport itself, little research has focused on the referee.Further, the studies that have …

Labor And Social Identity In Ancient Peru: A Bioarchaeological Perspective, Sarah Katherine Muno

Dissertations

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Sarah K. Muno for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Anthropology, presented on September 26, 2018 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: LABOR AND SOCIAL IDENTITY IN ANCIENT PERU: A BIOARCHAEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Izumi Shimada This dissertation presents a bioarchaeological study of labor and social identity in coastal Peru during the Late Intermediate Period (900 – 1470 CE), using data from contemporaneous Middle Sicán (Sicán Precinct and El Brujo, north coast) and Ychsma (Pachacamac, central coast) mortuary contexts. I combine information about funerary treatment with skeletal evidence of trauma, degenerative joint disease, …

Vision-Based Framework For Monitoring Of Eating Behavior Of Persons With Alzheimer’S Disease, Haitham Al-Anssari

Dissertations

Dementia is a syndrome used to describe an array of significant declines in cognitive abilities due to progressive and irreversible loss of neurons and brain functioning. This neurodegeneration seriously affects daily life activities like driving, shopping, working and speaking. Among these, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, with individuals experiencing loss of memory and thinking and reasoning skills. Due to cognitive decline, individuals with Alzheimer’s often suffer from malnutrition, since they do not eat, even when food is presented, and must be fed with assistance. This assistance presents a significant burden of time to caregivers, and consequently …